Journal of Nutrition

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© 2007 American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. 137:1747-1749, July 2007

Nutrient Physiology, Metabolism, and Nutrient-Nutrient Interactions

Intestinal Excretion of Endogenous Zinc in Guatemalan School Children1,2

K. Michael Hambidge3,*, Manolo Mazariegos5, Noel W. Solomons5, Jamie E. Westcott3, Sian Lei3, Victor Raboy6, Gary Grunwald4, Leland V. Miller3, Xiaoyang Sheng3 and Nancy F. Krebs3

3 Section of Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, and 4 Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262; 5 Center for Studies of Sensory Impairments, Aging, and Metabolism, Zona 11 (interior), Guatemala City, Guatemala, 01011; and 6 USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Aberdeen, ID 83210

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: michael.hambidge{at}uchsc.edu.

The intestine is the major route of excretion of endogenous zinc (Zn) and has a key role in maintaining Zn homeostasis. The principal objective of this paper is to provide an interpretative report of quantities of endogenous fecal Zn (EFZ) excreted by rural Guatemalan school children fed either normal or low phytate maize as their principal food staple. EFZ was measured by a Zn stable isotope technique. EFZ did not differ between control and low phytate maize groups. The overall EFZ (n = 53) was (mean ± SD) 1.56 ± 0.69 mg Zn/d or 0.07 ± 0.03 mg Zn·kg body wt–1·d–1. EFZ was not correlated with the quantity of Zn absorbed. The estimated EFZ at the level of absorption that matched the physiologic requirement (EFZPR) did not differ from the above mean value. The EFZPR of 0.07 ± 0.03 mg Zn/kg body wt is twice the value currently used in the estimation of Dietary Reference Intakes. Supported by other recent childhood data, these results suggest that the current estimates of EFZPR used in the calculation of Zn requirements for children are misleadingly low.






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